Stress during pregnancy: An ecological momentary assessment of stressors among Black and White women with implications for maternal health

Serwaa S Omowale; Tiffany L Gary-Webb; Meredith L Wallace; John M Wallace; Mary E Rauktis; Shaun M Eack; Dara D Mendez

doi:10.1177/17455057221126808

Stress during pregnancy: An ecological momentary assessment of stressors among Black and White women with implications for maternal health

Womens Health (Lond). 2022 Jan-Dec:18:17455057221126808. doi: 10.1177/17455057221126808.

Authors

Serwaa S Omowale^{1

2

3}, Tiffany L Gary-Webb⁴, Meredith L Wallace⁵, John M Wallace³, Mary E Rauktis³, Shaun M Eack³, Dara D Mendez^{4

6

7}

Affiliations

¹ California Preterm Birth Initiative, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
² Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
³ School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
⁴ Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
⁵ Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
⁶ Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
⁷ Division of General Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

Abstract

Background: Stress can lead to adverse physiological and psychological outcomes. Therefore, understanding stress during pregnancy provides insight into racial disparities in maternal health, particularly Black maternal health.

Objectives: This study aimed to describe (1) daily exposure to self-reported stress levels during pregnancy, and (2) sources of stress among participants that identified as Black or White using data collected via ecological momentary assessment.

Methods: We leveraged survey data from the Postpartum Mothers Mobile Study, a prospective longitudinal study using ecological momentary assessment data collection methods to describe patterns of stress during pregnancy. This article is descriptive and documents patterns of self-reported stress levels and sources of stress. Frequencies and percentages of stress responses were computed to describe these patterns.

Results: The sample (n = 296) was 27% Black (n = 78) and 63% White (n = 184). Results were based on at least one measurement of that stress level during pregnancy. A similar number of Black and White participants reported no stress during pregnancy. White (85%-95%) and Black (60%-70%) participants reported low to moderate levels of stress. Black participants (38%) and White participants (35%) reported experiencing high stress. Black and White participants reported similar sources of stress: stress from a partner, too many things to do, a baby or other children, and financial concerns. White participants reported work as a top stressor, and Black participants reported financial issues as a top source of stress.

Conclusion: This study provides insight into daily exposure to stress that has implications for maternal health. We described patterns of self-reported stress and sources of stress among Black and White participants. The daily exposures to stress reported by this sample exist within a context of root causes of structural inequities in education, health care, income, wealth, and housing that must be addressed to achieve maternal health equity.

Keywords: determinants; ecological momentary assessment; health status disparities; maternal health; pregnancy; psychological stress.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Black People
Child
Ecological Momentary Assessment*
Female
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Maternal Health*
Pregnancy
Prospective Studies

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

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